3 Years Later
by literaryformofthelastcentury
Summary: 1984: Another installment of Dixie and Kel's story
1. Chapter 1

_As usual, I do not own the Energency! characters. All credit goes to Jack Webb, R.A. Cinader, and Universal Studios._

 _This fanfic was a lot of fun to write. Honestly, I don't see it as me writing a story. These characters, that I know sos well from watching the show, have a life of their own inside my head. I merely record that life. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it._

Chapter 1: Is it time yet?

 _May 10, 1984_

It's 3 o'clock, and Dixie is just getting off work. These days, she comes in at 7 am and works an 8-hour shift. It's Kel's responsibiloity to get the twins off to daycare at 10 before he comes in at 11. Dixie picks them up at 4, and tries to have dinner ready when Kel gets home after his 8-hour. They usually eat late, but Dixie would rather eat late and as a family than eat early but seperate. Dixie and Kel try to get wekends off, aso they can spend more time with their kids, and the rest of Rampart's staff is great about filling in when need be. On the rare occasion that both Dixie and Kel absolutely have to work on a weekend, Roy and Joanne help them out.

Dixie changes out of her uniform and drivves home to drop off her bag. At 3:45, she's back in the car and heading for the daycare center.

hen she arrives, it's 3:52. She walks in to sign the twins out. Abby, as usual, is ready to go.

"Mama!" she calls, running over. Dixie catches her in one arm and swings her up onto her hip as she finishes signing them out. She kisses Abby's head, then sets her down.

"Go get your backpack, sweetheart, and find your brother," Dixie says, correctly assuming that Andy is outside running around.

Abby scampers off, leaving Dixie to smile after her daughter. She can't believe it's been nearly _three years_ since the twins were born. Their third birthday was in _four days_!

Dixie had the celebration all planned out. All four DeSotos would be there, of course. Johnny was coming, and Marco, and Chet. Hank and Emily Stanley would be there. Mike Morton and Joe Early were coming, along with Mike Stoker, his wife Beth, and their daughter Danielle. Dixie had timed the party perfectly. Noon to 4, Sunday, May 13th. It wasn't the twins' actual birthday, but she had had to plan around 8 different work schedules. She was lucky to have found a day so close to their birthday.

Everything had worked out, thank goodness. It was a weekend, so she and Kel were off anyway. Mike Stoker got off shift at 8 am Sunday morning, and Joe got off at 11. Johnny and Marco had a 24-hour starting at 8 am Monday, and Roy and Chet didn't have to work until Tuesday. Hank Stanley, now that he was a Battalion Cheif, had a pretty flexible schedule and was able to get Sunday off. Only Mike Morton would have to leave the party a little early to make his 3 pm shift.

Dixie is jerked from her thoughts by the weight of two children, one on each hand.

"Hi mama!" Andy says excitedly. She is usually at work before Kel wakes them up in the morning, and they are always happy to see her when she comes to get them.

"Ready to go?" Dixie asks.

"Yes," Abby replies, holding out her arms. Dixie picks her up and grasps Andy's hand. They walk to the car.

As Dixie is getting them settled in their car seats, Andy asks, "Is my birthday soon, mama?"

She sighs, smiling. One twin or the other has been asking the same question every day for the past two weeks. "Yes, honey," she answers. "Very soon."

* * *

 _Later_

Kel unlocks the front door at exactly 7:19 pm. He walks in, calling out to the house, "I'm home!"

"Daddy!" two voices shout, as two little bodies come barreling out of the kitchen. He catches one in each arm, swinging them up into a three-person hug.

With one twin in each arm, he heads for the kitchen. Dixie is just finishing scooping buttered pasta into two bowls for the twins. She turns as Kel walks in.

"Anything exciting happen after I got off?" Dixie asks her standard question.

"Not really," he replies after kissing her. "A 60 year old guy who broke his wrist falling off his granddaughter's bunk bed." He sets the twins down.

She chuckles. "Dinner's ready and waiting. There're carrots in the oven."

"Great," he says. "I'll take them out and get them settled."

Kel heads for the dining room, the twins in tow. He helps them up into booster chairs, then walks back into the kitchen. He crosses paths with Dixie, who's carrying out pasta and carrots for the twins. He dishes himself up, and then she comes back.

He opens his arms, and wraps her into a hug. She lays her head on his shoulder, hugging him back. He kisses the top of her head, then lets her go. He heads into the dining room with the twins. She follows a minute later, and dinner begins.

 _To Be Continued..._


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: *shrug*

 _May 10, 1984_

After the twins are in bed, Dixie and Kel settle in the family room. He sits on the couch, and she curls up against him.

"The twins are going to be three in _four days_ , Kel," she says.

"It's unbelieveable," he replies. "You have the party all planned, I assume?"

She shrugged and smiled. "What can I say? After 17 years of planning nurses' work schedules it wasn't all that hard."

He chucked. God, he loved her. He regretted the years of nothing between them, wished he'd realized his feelings sooner.

"So," he asked, shaking himself from his thoughts. "Who all's coming?"

"Who'd you expect?" she countered. "Roy, Joanne, Chris, Jenny, Johnny, Hank, Emily, Chet, Marco, Mike Stoker, Beth, Danielle, Mike Morton, and Joe. On Sunday, that is. Their party on Saturday is some of their daycare friends."

He nods, not sure if he's ready for two parties, but sure as heck not wanting to argue with Dix over something as little as birthday parties. If there's one thing he's learned from working with her for 17 years, it's, as the nurses put it, "DON'T MESS WITH MISS MCCALL!"

"What times?" he asks.

"Saturday, 1-3, and Sunday, 12-4. I've already got the food, cake, etc, figured out so you don't need to worry about it."

"I didn't say anything!" he quickly exclaims.

"Oh, I know you didn't. You didn't have to. " She smiles. "You forget that I can read your mind."

"True enough."

 _To Be Continued..._

* * *

 _I hope you're enjoying the story. I know this chapter was short and kind of boring, I just felt like it needed to be included. If there's anything you'd like to see in later chapters, comment and I'll try to include it._


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Party Number One

 _Saturday, May 12, 1984_

 _6:08 am_

"Mama!" Andy comes running and jumps onto Dixie and Kel's bed. "It's my party!"

"How on earth does he have this much energy this early in the morning?" Dixie asks her husband, opening her arms to her son. He crawls into them.

"It's called adrenaline, nurse," is Kel's reply.

"Thank you, doctor," she says. "You're surprisingly sarcastic at 6 in the morning."

"Sorry Dix. I need coffee. Good morning, Andy. Is your sister awake yet?"

"No," he answers, obviously confused by his parents' conversation. "Can I wake her up?"

"Let's not, sweetheart," Dixie says. "We ought to let her sleep a while longer."

"But, mama!" her little ball of energy is ready for his day. "It's the party!"

"I know, Andy," she answers, trying not to laugh. "The party isn't going to start for quite some time, though. Abby doesn't need to get up yet."

"But..." he sees the look on his mama's face and decides he better not argue.

That's when Dixie realizes that Kel has fallen back asleep beside her. "You can wake daddy up, though," she says, grinning.

A smile spreads across Andy's face. "Daddy!" he says, crawling from Dixie's lap over to Kel's side of the bed, "Wake up!"

"Uhhhh," he groans, rolling over towards his wife and son.

"Daddy!"

"I'm awake, I'm awake."

"And so's Abby," Dixie says, seeing the skinny little girl emerge from around the corner. It's no question who's kids these are. Andy is the spitting image of his father, with light brown hair that will most likely darken, as Kel's did, and dark, gray-blue eyes. Abby looks just like Dixie did as a child, with her mother's ice-blue eyes and blonde hair.

Abby climbs up onto the big bed and straight into her daddy's waiting arms. She curls up against him, not quite ready to be awake.

"It's the party, Abby!" Andy says.

"I know," Abby replies, barely audible.

"Are you excited, honey?" Kel asks.

"Yes, daddy," she replies, smiling up at him.

"Well," Dixie says, "we might as well get up and start getting ready. I'll make something for breakfast. What do you guys want?"

"Pancakes!" Andy and Abby shriek at the same time.

"Sounds like pancakes, Dix," Kel says, chuckling.

She laughs as she gets out of bed. "Okay, pancakes it is. Why don't you guys go get dressed - in play clothes, mind you, not party clothes - and I'll get breakfast ready."

"Okay!" Abby scampers off, Andy following close behind.

* * *

Pancakes eaten, dishes washed, children cleaned up, and it's only 8:30.

"Kel," Dixie says, "We've got to do something with them. The party isn't for another four hours and they're just going to get more excited." Currently, Andy is chasing his sister around the house as she screams with laughter.

"Enough!" Kel is done. "No more running! Dix, why don't you throw some snacks into a bag and I will take them to the park."

"Sounds good," she replies. "I'll work on getting the house and yard in order. Andy, Abby, go choose some crackers or bars to take with you."

They run off towards the kitchen. Dixie follows, knowing that there will soon be a mess for her to clean up.

Pulling a sack from the cupboard under the sink, she grabs the granola bars and animal crackers from the four little fists. She throws the snacks in the bag, hands the bag to Kel, and watches from the window as her three favorite people walk down the sidewalk to the park two blocks away.

After watching them disappear, Dixie turns from the window and starts getting ready for the party.

* * *

Abby is walking, hanging on Kel's hand, while Andy runs ahead. He reaches the corner, and turns around.

"Come on, daddy! I can see the park!"

Abby starts running, still holding Kel's hand, until he's being dragged up the street by his almost-three-year-old.

"Alright, alright," he says, slightly exasperated. "Hold my hand, Andy, while we cross."

Andy obeys, but now both twins are in a hurry to reach the playground, and Kel finds that two little kids pulling on his arms is quite painful. As soon as they reach the sidewalk, both twins are off and running. Abby stops about ten feet up to wait for her daddy, but Andy doesn't hesitate. By the time Kel reaches the playground, he's already at the top of the slide.

"Watch, daddy!" he calls from his perch.

Kel lifts his little girl onto a swing and starts pushing her before he responds.

"I'm watching, Andy."

He slides down, laughing, and runs back up to do it again. Abby is laughing, too.

"Higher, daddy, higher," she begs, her blonde hair streaming behind her as the swing flies through the air. Kel smiles, pushing her a little harder, and watches her kick her legs as she laughs.

Back at home, Dixie is getting a little worried. It's noon already, Kel and the twins have been at the park for three hours. The house and backyard are all ready, decorated with streamers and balloons. Two cakes sit on the counter. One is decorated with purple polka dots, by Abby's request, the other covered in yellow frosting and M&Ms.

"Mama!" Dixie's head turns at the sound of Abby's voice.

"Hi, sweetheart! How was the park?"

"It was fu-" Abby is cut off by her brother.

"It was fun! I did the slide and the swings and the merry-go-round and daddy played tag with us!"

"Oh?" she says, with a sideways glance at her husband.

"Yeah!" Abby says. "It was fun. Daddy is a good tagger."

"I'll bet." Dixie replies. "And how did daddy enjoy it?" she asks, her question directed at Kel.

"Remind me never to take them to the park by myself again," is his only reply.

"Oooooh!" Abby squeals. "Is that my cake?"

"Yes, it is," Dixie replies. "Now, you two are all grubby. Come on, let's get you cleaned up and changed for the party."

* * *

Two hours later and the party is in full swing. Andy, obviously not at all tired from his park trip, is well-involved in yet another game of tag with some of his friends. Abby is drawing at the dining room table with a couple of her friends. Dixie finally is able to sit down, and Kel settles next to her.

"One down, one to go," he says.

"Not so fast," she answers. "You still have to cut two cakes."

"Auuuughhhh!"

* * *

 _Sorry it took me so long to post this chapter. I'll try to have another one out soon, but I don't know how soon. Please comment on what I have so far, I love getting feedback!_


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Party Number Two

 _Sunday, May 13, 1984_

When Dixie gets up at 7:30am, she finds that she's the only one awake. The twins, exausted from yesterday's party, are sound asleep in their rooms. Kel's still sleeping, too, after helping Dixie clean until 10pm.

Smiling as she walks away from Abby's doorway, Dixie heads for the kitchen.

She and Kel had been cleaning until 10, then he went to bed. She stayed up to finish, and hadn't gotten to bed until 11. But it was okay, she thought. The house was neat, and now she wouldn't have too much to do to get ready for today's party. Anyway, she was quite used to functioning on very little sleep at this point.

She starts cracking eggs into a ceramic bowl. Scrambling them with a fork, she adds cheese and cold sausage with her other hand. She's pouring them into a pan when Abby comes into the kitchen.

"Hi, sweetheart," Dixie says, setting down the bowl and picking her up. "How'd you sleep?"

"Good," Abby replies sleepily.

"Are you ready for party number two?" Dixie asks, pretty sure she knows the answer.

"Yeah!" Abby answers, perking up. "Who's coming?"

Dixie chuckles, having answered this question many times for each of her kids. ""i've told you, honey," she answers. "Chris, Jenny, Auntie Jo, Uncle Roy, Uncle Johnny, Dr. Joe, Dr. Mike, Hank, Emily, Marco, Chet, Bethy, and Dani."

"Dani?" Abby's eyes light up. She loves Mike and Beth's 4-year-old daughter.

"Yes," Dixie replies with a smile on her face. "Chris and Jenny, too."

"Where's Chris?" Andy asks as he follows Kel into the kitchen.

"He's coming to our party," Abby answers her brother.

"When?" Andy asks.

"Lunchtime," is Dixie's reply.

* * *

It's 11:30. The twins are dressed, ready, and waiting. Dixie's pulling homemade pizza out of the oven. There are juice boxes in the fridge and two more cakes on the counter. Kel comes into the kitchen.

"Smells great, Dix," he pulls her into a hug.

She kisses his cheek. "Don't eat anything. I'm going to change."

When Dixie emerges from the bedroom, dressed to impress as usual, the DeSotos are arriving.

"Happy birthday, guys!" Roy greets his favorite twins, who are barreling towards him.

Abby reaches him first, and leaps into his arms. "Hi Uncle Roy!"

That's when Johnny comes in the already open door.

"Don't I get a hello?" he jokes.

"Uncle Johnyyyyy!" is Andy's response to that as he makes a flying leap straight at John.

Kel, laughing, spots Hank and Emily coming up the walkway.

"Let's clear the doorway, everyone," he says.

"Hello, everyone," Hank greets the group at large.

"Hiya, Cap," Johnny says, not even realizing what he said. It didn't matter that now he was the one being addressed as 'Cap' by 51's B-shift. Hank Stanley may be a Battalion Chief now, but he would always be Cap to 51's former A-shift.

The group had migrated to the kitchen by the time Joe arrived, followed closely by the Stokers.

"Dani!" Abby sees her friend and takes off, running right past Joe.

"How's that for a greeting, Joe?" Kel asks as everyone chuckles.

"Wonderful," he replies. "Now I see what she really thinks of me."

He's laughing with the rest of them when Mike Morton enters, along with Chet and Marco.

* * *

 _To Be Continued..._


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Cake

* * *

 _Sunday, May 13, 1984_

 _2:00 pm_

The pizza is long gone, the kitchen is reasonably clean, and almost everyone is outside. Johnny is letting himself be chased by the three little girls while Chris pushes Andy on the swing set. The adults, besides Johnny, are sitting and standing around the picnic table, talking about work and kids. Hank is griping about some PR personel that is getting on his nerves when Johnny joins them.

"I can't take it anymore," he says, sitting down next to Joanne.

""The girls tire you out, Junior?" Roy asks with a smile. The firemen grin at the familiar nickname.

"I haven't heard that name in a while," is Johnny's elusive reply.

"Too used to being called 'Cap' now, I supose," says Chet.

"Oh, har-dee-har-har," Johnny answers.

"Ah, how I miss facilitating these arguments," Hank says, chuckling.

"They're worse than the PR people, right, Cap?" Mike says, a bold comment for him.

"Much worse," Hank replies.

"Thanks," Chet and Johnny reply at the same time. At that point, everyone is laughing.

Seeing the time and knowing that Mike Morton will have to leave soon to make his shift, Dixie gestures to Joanne. The two of them rise from the table and head for the kitchen.

"Cake?" Joe says to Kel, quietly.

"Don't tell the kids, yet," is his response.

"Cake time!" Dixie calls into the backyard, figuring at least one person would hear her and spread the word. She figured right.

"Caaaaaaaaaakkkeee!" Andy comes barreling into the kitchen, followed closely by Abby and Dani. Chris and Jenny follow at a more reasonable pace, and are joined in the kitchen by all of the adults.

"Okay, okay" Dixie says, chuckling. "Let's get around the table."

Kel lifts Abby onto a chair and Johnny does the same for Andy. Two eager faces are illuminated by the candles' glow as Dixie lights six, three on each cake. 16 voices combine to sing 'Happy Birthday', and each twin blows out the candles in one breath. Just like that, the spell is broken.

"Cake!" Abby is a little too excited.

"All right, guys," Joanne says, trying to organize them. "Line up - birthday kids first - and take your cake outside to eat."


End file.
